A CACTUS POISED TO BLOOM

Citroen C4 Cactus Flair 1.6 Blue HDI 100 Price as driven: £20,325

GOOD

CITROEN’S perky new motor will be too late for buyers to have the cachet of being seen with a ‘64’ plate on Monday, but when it does becomes available in October, I reckon the C4 Cactus will bloom.

THIS French back-to-basics family car combines simplicity and efficiency with practicality, low ownership costs and quirky looks.

DOOR grips and fabric trim are styled in the manner of traditional suitcases.

A NIMBLE ride on its 17-in alloy wheels, it has a tight turning circle and electric power steering which makes parking easy. Not the fastest kid off the blocks, but its willing 1.6 litre HDi four-cylinder in-line turbodiesel engine is enough for the family shop or a run up the M1.

ACCELERATES from rest to 62 mph in 10.7 seconds and has a top speed of 114 mph.

CITROEN claims an average 83.1 mpg, rising to more than 88 mpg when cruising.

THE distinctive ‘Airbumps’ — a series of blister panels — are designed to absorb minor side impacts such as a ding from a shopping trolley.

THE world’s first passenger airbag in the roof means more storage in the dashboard.

PRICES from £12,990 for the 1.2 litre PureTech 75 manual up to £18,190 for the 1.6 litre e-HDi 92 ETG6.

UPMARKET, hi-tech, clutter-free dashboard, with digital controls grouped around a single large 7-in touch screen.

BAD

FOR a back-to-basics car, £20k might seem steep. But this did include a lot of extra options. The £17,990 base price of the Flair 1.6 Blue HDi 100 was bumped up by a trim pack at £695, sunroof (£395), city park pack (£325), emergency and assistance system (£250) and other refinements.

SOMETHING of a blind spot looking left and to the back from the driver’s seat — the direction from which ‘under-cutting’ cyclists will be coming.

ALSO the passenger seat slightly obscures the view out towards the rear left-hand side window.

SOME of the plastics feel light and cheap — the handbrake in particular.